Okay, so, I've decided that the in ear stuff isn't my bag. I remember, fondly, over ear headphones whenever I use them - But I only use a Speedlink Medusa NX at home for skype and whathave you. My go-to brand is Sennheiser, but I'm wandering around in a haze of 'who did what to wherenow?'. I like the look of the Sennheiser 280 Pro, but there are largely good reviews with a fair number of not so good ones on Amazon. Most of the not so good ones seem to refer to failure after X period of time of component X. I looked at AKG 142's, but found a similar smattering of crappy reviews. I'm not one to blindly trust reviews from joe-blogs on the internet, but you guys seem more balanced and sane than the rest of the net. I mostly listen to metal, punk, rock and so on with an occasional orchestral bit thrown in. I currently use Sennheiser CX-880's and aside from being in ear, I like the sound and quality. So. Anyone got any over-ear headphones I should look at?
I'm no headphone guru (just went with what was advised for what I was prepared to spend) but for somebody who is, what's your max budget? From a quick search online the 280 Pros are £85-100? So around that mark then?
Are you going to be driving the headphones through a headphone amp or DAC, or just plugging it directly into whatever media device you're playing the music on? Also are you looking for something portable for listening to music on the go or something that'll only be used in the comfort of your home?
If you don't have a small head (more on that later) you could try AKG K550s. Got a very good review on What HiFi: http://www.whathifi.com/akg/k550/review I have had mine since last October and find them detailed, well balanced and very comfortable. Some people criticise them for a lack of bass, though I think it is just as it should be. Criticism seems to centre around the fit being a little to loose for people with a small head, leading to compromised bass. I've got a big head so no such problem for me. If they fit you well I think you might like them, especially after a good period of running-in. PS, they were launched in 2012 at £250 but, now typically retail for around £100 > £120. I paid £99 which made them outstanding value for money.
Well. That's a very good question. I'd either be using them on my Sony amp, or my Lumia 920 - Mostly the Lumia I suspect. So I'd probably be looking into one of those "build it yourself altoids tin" amp things, or if something equally battery powered existed, buy one of those too. I did briefly look at the 550's, but being a Sennheiser whore I rapidly ran away. I'll check them out with some renewed vigour, though.
It's at the top end of your budget, but the Shure SRH840 might be one to look at. They're not overly bulky so are quite nice for wearing out and about as well as when you're at the computer. Or if you want something big and solid, there's also the Beyerdynamic DT770 PRO.
I own couple of a pairs of Sennheiser PC 350 headphones which are the closed cup, over ear type. They're run through a Xenyx 802 mixer which combines the PC, laptop and TV and are used everyday. They're typical Sennheiser with focus on balance rather than massive bass which can be a problem with gaming headsets, IMO. Or simply put, London Grammar's If You Wait album sounds really rather splendid. However, the 350's have been discontinued so getting a pair might be tricky. The Sennheiser G4ME ZERO is apparently the direct replacement and something I'd look at if both my current headphones met an untimely demise.
What kind of headphones do you like? I bought a pair of Grado SR-80s for just a smidge under your upper budget and they're absolutely awesome. I've just rewired them after 10 years hard use and they sound better than ever... BUT they're a very accurate sound, there's not much bass embellishment etc like you get with some closed-back 'phones, but I wouldn't swap them for anything. If you listen on a PC then another accessory that's worth spending a few £ on is a USB DAC, the increase in quality over even the best built-in sound cards is mindblowing imo. I bought a Fiio portable DAC + dock and it's a fantastic bit of kit for very little outlay.
Hm, I'll look and see what tickles my fancy! It's been a long time since I've used over ear phones for anything other than skype - But I like a balanced listening experience, I tend to dick around with the equalizer a little bit so I like my audio kit to be at least mildly un-intrusive. If I was using them on my PC, I'd be going through the STR-DE400 a/v receiver I use via TOSlink I have been looking at a Fiio A3 (e11k) for walking around, though, since the Lumia doesn't have much grunt behind it.
So I went with the AKG550's in the end. I must admit, it was more a style choice at that point, all of your suggestions were greatly appreciated! I added the Fiio A3 (e11k) to the purchase, and wow. I'm not sure how anyone could claim the bass isn't right on these headphones, and that's just from a quick plug into the phone/fiio.
